Challenge #24--Parents; Getting Acquainted (G)
Title: Getting Acquainted
Author: lvs2read
Characters: Mal, Simon
Rating: G
Challenge: 24--Parents
Word Count: 431
Disclaimer: Don't own it, never did, never will--just having fun playing.
Author's Note: My 2nd entry for the current Challenge Redux.
Summary: Although we, as viewers, know a bit about Simon and Mal's parents, they, to our knowledge, never talked to each other about them. This is my take on that conversation.
This continues the story begun in Black Velvet, the last chapter of which was Small Talk.
Mal and Simon were working their way through a delicious steak dinner. They'd been talking about nothing in particular when Mal asked, "So, Doc, how long you been with us now?"
"Um… not quite two years." Simon hesitated before continuing, "Why? Would you like us to leave?"
"Nah. That's not it at all. Just wonderin' if you're settlin' in, feelin' more comfortable 's all."
"Ah. Well, I'm not sure I'll ever be totally comfortable, but yes, it's good to be part of the crew. Have a purpose. Something to focus on now that River's improving."
"Yeah, she is, isn't she? You ever think 'bout goin' back home?"
"You know I can't do that, Captain."
"What if the warrants were gone?"
"Are you trying to tell me something? Have they been…?"
"No, sorry, Doc. Nothing new has come up, but the old ones are still out there. I was just wondering if you missed home. Shouldn't've brought it up."
"No. I understand. You want to know if you'll always have a medic on the crew."
Mal all but groaned in frustration. "You persist in misunderstandin' me, Doc. It's just, you've never talked about home since you came on board, least not so that I've heard, and I got to wonderin' if you miss it. Nothin' more. Nothin' less."
"Oh. Do I miss it? I don't know. I haven't thought about it in so long." Simon took another bite of his steak, chewing meditatively, before saying, "There are things I miss. The museums, the parks, swimming in the ocean, the medical facilities. But on the whole, I'd have to say that, no, I don't miss it. Funny. I used to. Guess I've changed."
"It happens. Notice you didn't mention your folks in that list of stuff you miss."
"For all I know, they're dead. For all they care, River and I are. So, no, I can't say that I miss them. What about you? Do you miss your home? Or have we been there and I didn't know it?"
"No. We ain't been there. Grew up on Shadow."
"Oh. I had no idea. I'm sorry I asked."
"'S all right. After all, I asked first. Only fair. As you might conjecture, grew up on a ranch. Don't remember my pa and my momma died 'fore I went off to fight in the war. Most everybody else I knew either left durin' the war, or died in the bombardment. So, nothin' or nobody to miss."
"Guess that puts us in the same boat, both literally and figuratively."
"Hunh. Guess it does at that. More wine?"
Author: lvs2read
Characters: Mal, Simon
Rating: G
Challenge: 24--Parents
Word Count: 431
Disclaimer: Don't own it, never did, never will--just having fun playing.
Author's Note: My 2nd entry for the current Challenge Redux.
Summary: Although we, as viewers, know a bit about Simon and Mal's parents, they, to our knowledge, never talked to each other about them. This is my take on that conversation.
This continues the story begun in Black Velvet, the last chapter of which was Small Talk.
Mal and Simon were working their way through a delicious steak dinner. They'd been talking about nothing in particular when Mal asked, "So, Doc, how long you been with us now?"
"Um… not quite two years." Simon hesitated before continuing, "Why? Would you like us to leave?"
"Nah. That's not it at all. Just wonderin' if you're settlin' in, feelin' more comfortable 's all."
"Ah. Well, I'm not sure I'll ever be totally comfortable, but yes, it's good to be part of the crew. Have a purpose. Something to focus on now that River's improving."
"Yeah, she is, isn't she? You ever think 'bout goin' back home?"
"You know I can't do that, Captain."
"What if the warrants were gone?"
"Are you trying to tell me something? Have they been…?"
"No, sorry, Doc. Nothing new has come up, but the old ones are still out there. I was just wondering if you missed home. Shouldn't've brought it up."
"No. I understand. You want to know if you'll always have a medic on the crew."
Mal all but groaned in frustration. "You persist in misunderstandin' me, Doc. It's just, you've never talked about home since you came on board, least not so that I've heard, and I got to wonderin' if you miss it. Nothin' more. Nothin' less."
"Oh. Do I miss it? I don't know. I haven't thought about it in so long." Simon took another bite of his steak, chewing meditatively, before saying, "There are things I miss. The museums, the parks, swimming in the ocean, the medical facilities. But on the whole, I'd have to say that, no, I don't miss it. Funny. I used to. Guess I've changed."
"It happens. Notice you didn't mention your folks in that list of stuff you miss."
"For all I know, they're dead. For all they care, River and I are. So, no, I can't say that I miss them. What about you? Do you miss your home? Or have we been there and I didn't know it?"
"No. We ain't been there. Grew up on Shadow."
"Oh. I had no idea. I'm sorry I asked."
"'S all right. After all, I asked first. Only fair. As you might conjecture, grew up on a ranch. Don't remember my pa and my momma died 'fore I went off to fight in the war. Most everybody else I knew either left durin' the war, or died in the bombardment. So, nothin' or nobody to miss."
"Guess that puts us in the same boat, both literally and figuratively."
"Hunh. Guess it does at that. More wine?"